1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally involves the field of technology pertaining to a device to which a drain screen or drain cover may be fastened over or to an open drain pipe for which there is no other means of fastening. The purpose of providing a tamper-resistant attachment for a drain screen is to prevent its removal from a drain pipe and thereby preventing any debris, or any other foreign matter from being pushed or swept into the drain by a worker cleaning the floor of a kitchen in a restaurant or hospital or hotel or any other large commercial or industrial type facility. Currently, for the most part, these drains are protected from debris by simply laying a screen or strainer over the drain or discharge pipe. They are therefore easily removed for the convenience of a cleaning crew who tend to simply lift the screen or strainer and sweep garbage into the drain.
These drains are generally recessed into the floor and are primarily used for indirect discharge waste lines.
In this type of environment, sanitary codes require a gap between a discharge line that exits a plumbing fixture and the actual drain itself that enters the floor and the drain line that is underground and attached to a receptor does not have a flange or collar nor any other means for accommodating a fastening device for the screen.
The locking device of this invention is adaptable to several different size and type drains which in turn will operate as a drain or screen mounting and locking device whereby various shape and size floor drain covers or strainers may be adapted by employing a vandal-proof screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of the prior art has uncovered the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 931,019 to E. L. Dawes & J. C. Reed; U.S. Pat. No. 1,195,827 to G. A. Lucke; U.S. Pat. No. 149,489 to J. Lewis; U.S. Pat. No. 1,900,658 to E. F. Niedecken; U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,498 to J. Hirshstein; U.S. Pat. No. 645,749 to H. C. G. Kasschau; U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,892 to Boersma; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,939 to Thomann et al.
The patent to Dawes & Reed, U.S. Pat. No. 931,019 is of interest for its teaching in FIG. 1 and on page 2, lines 45-50. That language states "At the center the strainer is depressed in making it, or countersunk to receive a screw head and a screw 12 passes through the strainer at this point and engages a threaded opening 20 formed in crossbar 10." This patent does not disclose a plurality of horizontally extending holes in a crossbar to receive left and right-hand threads nor a hanger attached to a threaded rod.
The patent to Lucke, U.S. Pat. No. 1,195,827 relates to a stopper and lavatory fixture and it is noted that a stopper is fastened in place by means of items 14 and 17 (apertures), screw 22, hook 23 and crossed arm spider D. Not shown in the Lucke patent however is a solid bar having both a vertical threaded hole and two horizontal, left and right-hand thread receiving means and the "L" shaped ears of the instant invention.
The patent to Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 149,489, is of interest for its teaching of a cross-bar D and a screw T threadably engaging D. It is believed that there are the same differences between the instant invention and the Lewis patent as there is between the instant invention and the prior patents heretofore mentioned.
The patent to Niedecken, U.S. Pat. No. 1,900,658 for a shower stall is of some interest but, again, there are the same differences between this patent and the instant invention as there is between the foregoing mentioned patents and the instant invention.
The patent to Hirshstein, U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,498, relates to a Clamping Means having a clamp holding member 8 with a vertical leg passing through an opening through a lug 6 and a horizontal leg extending over the clamping ring 5. This is both structurally and conceptually different from the instant invention.
The patent to Kasschau, U.S. Pat. No. 645,749 is of minimal interest only for the language contained in Column 1, lines 35-41. This patent does not disclose the feature of a rectangular bar and a vertical screw hole opening nor the two horizontal openings having hangers attached thereto which hangers are "L" shaped as disclosed in the instant invention.
The Boersma patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,892, describes four radial slots in which trapezoidal locking slugs are slidably positioned and where these slugs communicate with four radial slots. Again, this differs substantially both structurally and conceptually from the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,939 to Thomann et al. is of interest for its teaching in FIGS. 2 and 3, in particular, and Items 40-45. The crossbar and hangers of the instant invention are not disclosed in this patent.
None of the above references, either singularly or taken together teach or even suggest the unique combination of the invention disclosed herein.